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BD began using GS1 data standards in 1972 to help enhance its supply chain processes.  Since that time, the Company has been a vocal advocate for industry-wide adoption and an active participant of the GS1 Healthcare US™ Leadership Team and workgroups.

“The ability to move medical products accurately and efficiently through the supply chain is critical.  With common, synchronized product and location data standards, we can help remove waste and errors throughout the entire supply chain to enable Perfect Orders,” said Steve Sichak, BD Senior Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain.  “To be successful, all healthcare supply chain stakeholders must adopt a common set of data standards and that is why BD has been so outspoken on the issue.”  

Sichak also stressed the potential to use data standards as an enabler for Unique Device Identification (UDI) and patient safety initiatives because bar-coded products and point-of-care scanning help health facilities track products, record serial numbers and manage expiration dates. 

BD’s current use of GS1 Standards in the United States includes:

• GTIN® for product enumeration and identification
• GS1-128 and U.P.C. machine readable bar codes symbols on products
• GS1 Application Identifiers on products in bar code format for production data
• SSCC for identification of shipments on shipping labels and EDI transactions
• GDSN® to share product data with customers
• GLN for location identification
• GLN Registry for Healthcare® to share location data with customers

“BD has printed billions of GS1 bar codes on products since adopting the standard more than three decades ago,” said Sichak.  “Going forward, we plan further investments in the infrastructure, ERP upgrades, and processes necessary to help our customers and regulators to implement and use standards in their systems.” 

BD will continue collaborating with healthcare providers and supply chain partners as they migrate toward industry-established 2010 GLN Sunrise and 2012 GTIN Sunrise dates. 

Healthcare providers, retailers, distributors and other supply chain participants interested in learning more about BD’s adoption of GS1 Standards can contact BD by e-mailing Adopt_Data_Standards@bd.com.

About BD
BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.